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Brennan Glynn
Nancy Roche
Writing 1010-013
11 December 2014
The Literacy Environment
James Gee wrote Social Linguistics and Literacies. He is at war with what he calls the
literacy myth, which is the idea that literacy by itself can bring about a more modern and
developed people. Gee uses many examples ranging from the work of Plato all the way to the
Nazis interpretation of literature, to bring his point across. He questions the ideas about literacy
that are generally accepted in todays society. Gee claims that literacy by itself is not
accompanied with these alleged benefits, and people need to understand that the benefits actually
come from the environment literacy is packaged with, instead of gained by just learning to read
and write.
Gee uses catholic countries to demonstrate the lack of a literacy environment. The
Catholic Church was afraid of the people having the bible in their hands because it might let
them discuss and bring about critical thinking, which could lead to religious disagreement (Gee
55). Gee talks about interpretation of the bible in order to show how complex literacy is. He
shows that the church wasnt scared of the people being literate, but instead the people thinking
beyond the words and coming up with ideas on their own. This sort of environment is exactly
what Gee talks about being packaged with literacy which the church wanted to avoid.
Interpretation of a text changes from person to person. Sometimes there are serious negatives
from an unintended interpretation.

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There are many environments that are counterproductive towards achieving an advanced
society. Gee uses the works of Nietzsche to show how a work of writing can be interpreted in
whatever direction the audience chooses (49). He uses this example to show how writing is not
able to defend itself. There is no way for a page to confirm that the reader is interpreting the text
in the way in which it was intended. Gees claim shows how important the environment that a
text is read in is. A negative literacy environment can bring unimaginable actions. The Nazis
interpreted Nietzsches works in a destructive way. Another factor involved in a literacy
environment are the questions that arise from a text.
Gee agrees with some of the ideas of Paulo Freire. He specifically agrees with Freires
idea Literacy only empowers people when it renders them active questioners of the social
reality around them. (59). Gee agrees with Freire and uses him as a backup to his assertion that
literacy on its own does not bring the benefits the literacy myth claims it should. Gee also uses
Freires idea that studying is not just repeating the same steps as those before, but to re-create in
order to truly understand whats being studied (59). This environment which promotes the
questioning of a text is what actually brings the change that is supposed to accompany literacy.
Being able to take apart the pieces and put them together, or recreating is what literacy should
focus on.
Gee uses Sweden as an example of the people not taking apart the pieces but just
repeating the patterns. Sweden achieved 100 percent literacy, yet the country was still riddled
with poverty. The people could read the bible, but they still relied heavily on the church to
interpret it for them (54). The Sweden example is a killer blow to the literacy myth. Everybody
was literate but the environment required to bring the benefits wasnt there and so there was no
change.

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A very interesting metaphor Gee uses is the idea that literacy is a gun. The author is
handing over a gun and the bullets, he and needs to be ready for what comes next (61). Gee uses
the gun example to show how a debate is required for the literacy environment to be reached.
Without the debate the author isnt handing over anything that can be used against him. They
wouldnt be able to ask questions a key part of the learning environment.
Platos ideas were not exactly the same as James Gees, but Gee uses them in his book to
show the flaws of literacy. Writing cannot answer the question What do you mean? (49). This
is the same idea discussed above, without questions being asked nothing can be learned. Gee
claims that Plato also knows that the discussion environment is what is truly beneficial.
Gee uses all of these examples to not only disprove the myth that literacy will bring
modernization and a better society, but also to present his ideal way of approaching literacy. To
Gee the destination of literacy is not what is important, but instead the path to achieving it is
what brings about change. Plato, Freire, Sweden, the Nazis, and Catholics may not have much in
common, but Gee found a way to connect them to show the key issues with the literacy myth.
Literacy is so much more complex than simply being able to read and cannot not be approached
with the idea that being literate alone is enough to improve society.

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Works Cited
Gee, James Paul. Social Linguistics and Literacies: Ideology in Discourses. London: Routledge,
1990. Print.